


Just One

by teagarden15



Category: A3! (Video Game)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-06
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27923122
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teagarden15/pseuds/teagarden15
Summary: Masumi is starting his second year of college and has been feeling insecure about his (nonexistent) relationship with Izumi. In order for him to stay at Mankai, he demands something from her first.
Relationships: Tachibana Izumi/Usui Masumi
Comments: 6
Kudos: 35





	Just One

**Author's Note:**

> I have a bias for male characters who are upfront about their feelings.

Masumi frowned at his phone as he read over the latest email from his father. Ever since his parents’ divorce, he and his father had started communicating more regularly. Usually, Masumi enjoyed that. Right now it was just annoying. His father was trying to convince him to attend a prestigious business college in the United States. One, so that Masumi would be closer to him, and two, so that Masumi could start receiving training to take over his father’s business. 

Masumi didn’t know if he wanted to go into his father’s business, but he knew that it would be financially sound if he did. That was important to him. He needed to be able to provide a good income for Izumi. 

She hadn’t really looked at him as a man yet, but he’d decided it was because he was still in college. She just didn’t seem willing to see someone still in school as a dating partner. He’d tried to tell himself that it was okay and he could be patient because she wasn’t dating or interested in anyone else, but it was still hard. It hurt to not have her attention the way he wanted even after three years together. 

That was part of why his dad’s email caused him so much turmoil. He didn’t want to leave Izumi or Mankai, but if he finished up school in America, would he be able to impress Izumi when he came back after? 

He knew he would learn a lot following the path his father wanted for him and he’d developed a fantasy lately of Izumi realizing how much he meant to her after he left, and her being amazed at the changes in him when he returned and never wanting to be apart. It would also allow him to get a good job in business. Itaru, Sakyo, and Chikage all had full-time jobs and worked at the theater, so Masumi was sure he could do both as well. 

His main concerns with that plan were how painful it would be to be away from Izumi for so long and his fear that maybe she would find someone while he was away. But nothing he’d done to get her attention had worked. He’d tried so many different ways so many different times. He was starting to think that drastic measures were needed and this was certainly drastic. 

He ended up sitting on a couch in a common area on campus and ruminating over his and Izumi’s future. He hadn’t realized how much time had passed until he received a text from Izumi asking if he would be home for dinner. 

Texting her back, he told her he had too many things to think about. She immediately responded asking if something was wrong. Debating what to tell her, he responded that his dad wanted him to attend school in the United States and he wasn’t sure what he should do. She told him that she would be up late working in her office, so he was welcome to come and talk to her when he got home if he wanted, and she promised to support whatever he felt was best.  


As nice a response as that was, it depressed him. He wanted her to fight him leaving, to be devasted and try to convince him to stay. Not that she would have to try very hard. All she’d have to say was that she wanted him with her and he wouldn’t be able to leave. Blowing out a sigh, he wondered if he should talk to her and, if he did, what he should say. 

~.~

Masumi’s heart was pounding when he entered Izumi’s office later that night, shutting the door behind him. He’d come to a decision. If he could prove to himself that Izumi was affected by him, that she did have feelings for him and just wasn’t acting on them, then he would stay. If it felt like she didn’t feel anything romantic for him at all, then he would leave. He would come back for her later, of course, and just have to hope that no one swept her off her feet in the meantime. 

“Masumi,” Izumi said, standing and coming around the side of her desk, her eyebrows scrunched in concern. It was such an adorable look. “How are you?” It wasn’t like Masumi to not come home and she was worried about what was going through his mind. Most of all, she was worried his father was trying to force him to attend school in the U.S. She remembered all too well how afraid Masumi had been to go against his father when his father tried to force him to move. 

“I’ve made a choice,” he announced, his palms sweating with nerves. He couldn’t believe he was going to say this, but it had to be done. “Izumi, I love you, but I don’t know if there’s any hope for us as things stand now. If there’s not, then I don’t want to stay. I love the Mankai theater, but not enough to stay here if I don’t think there’s a chance of us ever being together.” 

She stared at him with wide eyes, frozen in place. 

Since she didn’t respond, he decided to plow forward. “So, if I’m going to stay, you have to let me kiss you. Just one kiss, but I decide when it starts and ends.” He waited, his heart pounding in his chest. While he didn’t have personal experience with kissing, at least not anything beyond what he’d studied since he wanted to impress Izumi with his kissing skills, he was sure he’d be able to tell whether she felt anything for him by how she reacted to his kiss.

Izumi’s mouth opened, but nothing came out. She was stunned. What on earth had been going through Masumi’s head that he’d decided to base whether he stayed or left on if he could get a kiss from her? She knew he was as attached to her as ever, but he looked so upset right now it hurt her heart. 

She didn’t want to give him false hope, though she also couldn’t rule out the possibility of them ever ending up as a couple. There were times when the things he said to her, the way he looked at her, really got her heart racing. It would be a lie to say she wasn’t sometimes flattered by the attention he gave her, and the fact that his affection for her never seemed to waver. It didn’t matter how many women threw themselves at him, he showed absolutely no interest in them. 

Would it hurt just to have one kiss with him if it would keep him here? Especially because she knew how hard it was for him to connect with other people and he’d made such important friendships within Mankai. She was a little worried that he’d isolate himself if he moved away. Although she was a little nervous about his phrasing of him deciding when the kiss started and ended. Still, it wasn’t as though he would do anything inappropriate, right? They’d lived together for three years and he’d never tried anything. 

“Okay,” she said slowly. “One kiss, okay?” 

Masumi was in front of her the next moment, his eyes full of relief and gratitude as he cupped her face. “I’m so glad,” he murmured, brushing his thumbs over her cheeks. He’d imagined their first kiss so many times. It felt like a dream that it was finally happening. 

Sliding his hands into her hair, he tilted her head up slightly. Gently, he brushed his lips against hers. They were so soft that he brushed them lightly again and again with his own, enjoying the sensation of her lips against his. 

Next, he pressed a little more firmly, taking her lower lip between his. She made a noise low in her throat and he froze. At the same time, he felt her freeze against him. That hadn’t sounded like an upset noise. It had sounded . . . encouraging. Like she was enjoying his kiss and wanted him to keep going. He really wanted to pull back and see her face, but he was the one who said one kiss. If he pulled back, it would be over. 

Instead, he gently extracted his hands from her hair and ran his hands slowly up and down her back, trying to get her to relax. It seemed she was as surprised as he was by the sound she’d made. So adorable. 

When her stiffness started to fade, he began nibbling gently on her bottom lip. She made a sound, muffled this time like she was trying to stop herself. His heart leapt. She WAS reacting to his kiss! She had to feel something for him! 

He moved closer to her, molding their bodies together until she was up against her desk and there was no more space between them. She made another sound the first time his tongue touched hers and he slowly explored her mouth and lips, thrilling every time she made a noise. He wished this moment would go on all night, would go on for every night. 

He didn’t know how long they’d been kissing for when he reluctantly pulled back, his arms still around her as he gazed down at her. 

Her cheeks were flushed and she was breathing heavy as she stared up at him with wide eyes. 

“Wh-where did you learn to kiss?” she stammered. 

He smiled at her surprise. “I studied kissing because I wanted to make you feel good when we finally kissed.” Her blush deepened and his smile widened as he rested his forehead against hers. “You enjoyed my kiss.” She didn’t respond and even though he was certain she had, he still wanted to hear the words from her lips. “Izumi? Didn’t you enjoy it?” 

“Y-yes,” she admitted, her eyes flicking to his lips before jumping back to his eyes. His heart leapt. Did her looking at his lips mean she wanted him to kiss her again? He wouldn’t though, not unless she asked him to, but his heart felt at ease. He did affect Izumi, she just didn’t show it. He could work with that. 

“Thank you,” he said, kissing her forehead and slowly removing his arms. “I’ll stay.” He had hope now. He could be patient and wait for her forever so long as he had hope. “Have a good night, Izumi.”

Izumi stayed against her desk for several moments after Masumi left. Have a good night? How on earth was she supposed to sleep after just having the hottest kiss of her life?! 

She put her hands over her face and groaned. There was no way she could look at Masumi the same after that kiss. When he’d pulled away, her first instinct had been to pull him back before she’d remembered what was going on. She was happy he was staying, but now she was a little worried about what might happen next.


End file.
